montero – The Concordian

The Grammys are predictable, and here’s what’s likely to happen

Love or hate them, the Grammys are the music industry’s biggest night. This ceremony rewards artists for their releases throughout the year by nominating them into separate categories where they have a chance to win a trophy for their accomplishments.

On Sept. 30, 2021, the 13-month eligibility window closed, meaning albums released after this date won’t be eligible to be nominated for the 64th annual Grammy Awards.

That being said, despite the Grammys happening in late January, here are some way-too-early nomination predictions for the Album of the Year category. As predictable as the Recording Academy can get, (I’m looking at you H.E.R. nominations in at least two of the four biggest categories), there are rarely any surprises when it comes to the nominees in this category. Before beginning, there are a couple of different groups of candidates that I’d like to classify when it comes to nominations done by the jury: The Grammy Darlings, The Newcomers, Rap Albums That Have No Chance of Winning, Even if It Was the Greatest Album Ever Made, and The Wildcards.

The Grammy Darlings

This group includes albums from artists who have won in the past or that are often nominated in this category. Whenever these artists drop a project, they are almost always guaranteed at least a nomination (unless you’re The Weeknd and you decide to perform at the Super Bowl instead).

Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever

Despite not being as popular as her debut album WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? (for which she won five Grammys, including Album of the Year), Happier Than Ever is still a solid record and could have been talked about a bit more over the summer. This album is an automatic lock in the category because of her last album winning the award.

Taylor Swift – evermore

Swift is the current holder of the Album of the Year award. She first won the award in 2009 with Fearless, then went on to rob the award from Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly back in 2015. She won again in 2020 with her more folk-oriented folklore. Swift’s change of style had a little less commercial success than her more pop-oriented records, but received more critical success instead. Now she’s looking to go back-to-back in the same category.

Ariana Grande – Positions

Ariana Grande has a strong advantage over other artists in this category, by being one of the largest pop stars in the world, (pop albums have been favoured by the jury over the years). The sex-infused Positions saw the Florida singer top the charts in the tail end of 2020. Her last album, thank u, next, was nominated in the Album of the Year category two years ago.

Others in this group include: Justin Bieber’s Justice, Megan Thee Stallion’s Good News, and H.E.R.’s Back of My Mind.

The Newcomers

This group includes artists that have been bursting onto the scene with their first studio albums, gaining massive commercial success in doing so. The Recording Academy particularly likes this group of artists since they have a higher chance at becoming supernovas.

This list includes albums such as: Olivia Rodrigo – SOUR, Lil Nas X – MONTERO

Both albums had chart topping singles. Rodrigo even had two No. 1 hits with “drivers license” and “good 4 u,” while Lil Nas X only had “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” Both records also received commercial and critical success, showcasing the massive talent and potential of both artists. Both of these entries are also guaranteed locks at being nominated.

Rap Albums That Have No Chance of Winning, Even if It Was the Greatest Album Ever Made

This group brings together some amazing rap albums that should be considered as potential winners, but are only on the list because it looks good for the jury to have multiple genres in the category. The same goes for country music, where they’ll often put an album in the mix just to look versatile. After all, artists have made it clear in the past that they’re not happy with how the Grammys categorize them.

This list includes albums such as: Tyler, The Creator – CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, Kanye West – Donda, Drake – Certified Lover Boy

Despite how underwhelming and flavourless Certified Lover Boy was, I’ll still include it here for the sole reason that it’s Drake: he does numbers and the jurors usually like him.

As for the two others, they both deserve a nod in the category for being outstanding albums that are in the conversation for the best albums of 2021. Though they each have a good chance of winning in the rap categories, it’s just sad that the Grammys won’t acknowledge them even further because they deserve to have a real shot instead of only serving as placeholders in the category in an attempt for the awards to seem diverse.

The Wildcards

These albums could very well compete for the award but all for different reasons. Whether it’s Bad Bunny’s EL ÚLTIMO TOUR DEL MUNDO for its commercial success, while also being a nod to Spanish music, or even Kacey Musgraves’ divorce-themed star-crossed, it wouldn’t be surprising to see one of these albums being nominated.

Honorable mention : Doja Cat’s Planet Her

The Verdict

While all of these have a shot at the title, on Jan. 31, 2022, at the 64th annual Grammy Awards, the host will read, “and the winner for the Album of the Year is… SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo.” Mark my words.

Graphic by James Fay

Lil Nas X’s ascension to fame was quite impressive

From sleeping on his sister’s floor to spending 19 weeks at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart back in 2019 with the worldwide hit “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X has certainly come a long way.

The promotional rollout for MONTERO was completely wild. With singles that did enormous numbers (the title track even topped the Billboard Hot 100), to “scandalous” music videos that sparked discussion in good (and bad) ways, it’s clear Lil Nas X is not afraid of being extra dramatic. Most notably, by acting pregnant on social media, with MONTERO being the baby he was expecting. Lil Nas X’s camp really played it well with the promotion of the record and it quickly became one of the most anticipated releases of the year.

On MONTERO, Lil Nas X blends the two genres he is most comfortable with, pop and hip hop, in a brilliant but distinctive way. The hip hop portion of the record seems to appear more at the top of the tracklist while the poppier section is more towards the bottom. While he executes both genres extremely well, his hip hop tracks hit more home than his pop tracks. Songs like “INDUSTRY BABY,” “DEAD RIGHT NOW,” and “DOLLA SIGN SLIME” are by far some of the best tracks on the record.

No matter what genre he’s working with, Lil Nas X always has an ear for a catchy chorus, and MONTERO features some of the most infectious hooks of the year. The artist also doesn’t back down from hopping on current trends in music. From a high use of horn-dominated instrumentals on hip hop tracks to even embarking on a pop-rock cut with “LOST IN THE CITADEL,” he knows how to exploit the trendier and fresher sounds of today in a more than profitable way. Although not as triumphant as some of the bangers on the first half, the more mellow second half is as enjoyable with smoother and sweeter tunes like “VOID” and “SUN GOES DOWN” showcasing Lil Nas X’s versatility and willingness to switch things up.

Being one of — if not the only openly gay and queer black man mainstream rapper — brings a breath of fresh air to the industry. Hip hop culture is often perceived as homophobic, so for a figure like Lil Nas X to rise so astronomically within it and proudly representing his genuine self is great to see. The industry has been in need of a figure like Lil Nas X for a very long time.

With his debut album MONTERO, Lil Nas X proves to the world that he is here to stay and that he is a force to be reckoned with among other mainstream artists. He has completely left behind the “One Hit Wonder” tag that was stuck with him.

Trial track : “INDUSTRY BABY”

Score: 7/10